Lockable men&#39;s formal wear stud

ABSTRACT

A lockable men&#39;s formal wear stud includes: a stud face having a first central axis; a shaft attached to the stud face, having a second central axis in alignment with the first central axis; and a lock bar connected to the shaft at an angle to the second central axis; wherein the lock bar maintains an angular orientation of the shaft, thereby locking the shirt stud.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to clothing, and morespecifically, to a lockable men's formal wear stud.

Current designs for men's formal wear studs rotate at will and do notmaintain a specific orientation. This would not keep the stud properlyoriented if profession, organization or company logos, mascots,trademarks, seals, or other designs were imprinted, inlayed, or embossedon the surface of the stud face.

As can be seen, there is a need for a shirt stud that does not rotate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a lockable stud for a shirtincludes: a stud face having a first central axis; a shaft attached tothe stud face, having a second central axis in alignment with the firstcentral axis; and a lock bar connected to the shaft at an angle to thesecond central axis; wherein the lock bar maintains an angularorientation of the shaft, thereby locking the shirt stud.

In another aspect of the present invention, a non-rotating shirt studincludes: a stud face; a shaft extending behind and generallyperpendicular to the stud face; a lock bar having first and second ends,rotatably connected to the shaft at the first end, adapted to hang downat generally perpendicular angle to the shaft; and a stabilizing nippleproximate to the second end of the shaft, adapted to press against theshirt; wherein the shaft, lock bar, and stabilizing nipple cooperate soas to prevent the stud face from rotating.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for maintainingorientation of a shirt stud includes: providing a shaft fixed to theshirt stud; providing a lock bar connected to the shaft at a substantialangle; and maintaining the angular orientation of the shaft with thelock bar, thereby maintaining the orientation of the shirt stud.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides alockable men's formal wear stud.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a lock bar and astabilizing nipple that engage the button shirt from inside (facingoutward) to hold the stud face in a specific position (orientation),thereby keeping any design art from becoming disorientated while thebutton shirt formal wear stud is being worn. An embodiment will alsokeep men's formal wear studs from slipping out of the button holespreventing loss. This is an improved button shirt stud design.

In an embodiment, the face of a button shirt formal wear stud can be oftraditional design (round, oblong, triangular, oval, square orrectangular). It may be made of any material that is acceptable formen's formal wear cufflinks and button shirt studs.

As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a lockable stud 10includes a button shirt stud face 12, shaft 14, lock bar 16, stabilizingnipple 18, and pivot pin 20.

In an embodiment, the button shirt stud face 12 may have a standard sizeof approximately 0.5 centimeter to 1.0 centimeter based on the shape ofthe face. The shaft 14 may be approximately 0.7 centimeter in length and0.3 centimeter in diameter. The lock bar 16 may be approximately 1.4centimeters in length, 0.15 centimeter in diameter, and may be installed0.3 centimeter before the end of shaft 14. The stabilizing nipple 18 maybe installed 0.4 centimeter from the end of lock bar 16. Stabilizingnipple 18 faces and touches the button shirt when shaft 14 is lockedinto position. Stabilizing nipple 18 may be approximately 0.15centimeter in diameter, and protrude 0.2 centimeter from lock bar 16toward the shirt when worn. The pivot pin 20 is an axle that may have alength of approximately 0.3 centimeter; and diameter of approximately0.05 centimeter. The pivot pin 20 may be made of stainless steel orother durable, strong, non-corrosive and rust-proof metal.

In an embodiment, shaft 14 is a solid round bar made of steel, metalwith silver plating, sterling silver, gold, metal with gold plating,stainless steel, platinum, titanium, or other metal. It has a cut outsection [0.15 centimeter in width and 0.3 centimeter in length) removedfrom the center of the end that is attached to the lock bar 16. This endof shaft 14 has a hole drilled through it so pivot pin 20 can beinserted through holes in shaft 14 and lock bar 16. These holes arealigned so lock bar 16 and shaft 14 can be fitted together to allowdownward movement in order to lock the lock bar 16 into position holdingthe stud 10 in proper orientation. The weight of the lock bar 16 mayhelp hold the stud 10 in its proper orientation since gravity will keepthe lock bar 16 from moving (left or right) from the downward position.The pivot pin 20 is a bar that provides a pivot point from which thelock bar 16 moves throughout its range of motion in order to lock thestud face 12 in position. The stud face 12 may have a decorative design,and may be precious or semi-precious stone, plastic, metal(semi-precious, precious), pearl, glass, or other various hard orsemi-hard surface materials.

FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of the present invention in use. The shaft14 passes through the button holes 32 in a man's formal wear shirt 30.The lock bar 16 hangs down and the stabilizing nipple 18 press againstthe inside of the shirt 30 so that the lockable stud 10 does not rotate.

To use an embodiment of the invention: align button holes in men'sformal wear shirt. Make sure the shaft and lock bar are straight. Insertshaft and lock bar through the shirt button holes as far as possible.Bend the lock bar downward until the inside of the shirt is engaged, tofix the stud in its proper orientation.

In an embodiment, a textured surface could be added to the back of thebutton shirt stud face to provide double assurance that the stud facestays in a proper orientation and does not turn while in the buttonhole. The textured surface would press against the shirt from theoutside of the shirt around the button hole.

Other embodiments could be used in women's or children's formal wear ifa shirt is worn, or it could be worn as desired by anyone.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

1. A lockable stud for a shirt, comprising: a stud face having a firstcentral axis; a shaft attached to the stud face, having a second centralaxis in alignment with the first central axis; and a lock bar connectedto the shaft at an angle to the second central axis; wherein the lockbar maintains an angular orientation of the shaft, thereby locking theshirt stud.
 2. The stud of claim 1, further comprising: a stabilizingnipple on the lock bar, distal from the attachment between the lock barand the shaft; wherein the stabilizing nipple presses against the shirtso as to help maintain the angular orientation of the lock bar.
 3. Thestud of claim 1, further comprising: a hinge having a pivot pin; whereinthe shaft is rotatably attached to the lock bar utilizing the hinge soas to rotate about the pivot pin.
 4. The stud of claim 1, furthercomprising: a first surface of the stud face having a display surface; asecond surface of the stud opposite the first surface; wherein the shaftis attached to the second surface of the stud face.
 5. The stud of claim1, further comprising: a first surface of the stud face having a displaysurface; a second surface of the stud opposite the first surface havinga textured surface; wherein the shaft is attached to the second surfaceof the stud face, and the textured surface presses upon the shirt so asto help maintain the angular orientation of the stud face.
 6. The studof claim 1, wherein the lock bar hangs down under the influence ofgravity at a generally perpendicular angle to the shaft, therebyresisting rotation of the shaft and stud face.
 7. A non-rotating shirtstud, comprising: a stud face; a shaft extending behind and generallyperpendicular to the stud face; a lock bar having first and second ends,rotatably connected to the shaft at the first end, adapted to hang downat generally perpendicular angle to the shaft; and a stabilizing nippleproximate to the second end of the shaft, adapted to press against theshirt; wherein the shaft, lock bar, and stabilizing nipple cooperate soas to prevent the stud face from rotating.
 8. A method for maintainingorientation of a shirt stud, comprising: providing a shaft fixed to theshirt stud; providing a lock bar connected to the shaft at a substantialangle; and maintaining the angular orientation of the shaft with thelock bar, thereby maintaining the orientation of the shirt stud.
 9. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the shaft is rotatably attached to the lockbar, further comprising: hanging the lock bar down under the force ofgravity so as to maintain the angular orientation of the shaft.
 10. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising: providing a stabilizing nipple onthe lock bar; and pressing the stabilizing nipple against the shirt soas to retain the angular orientation of the lock bar.